Proposal of seaweed park in TN gets a thumbs up from industry

The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed in the Price range to established up a a multi-function seaweed park in Tamil Nadu as part of selling seaweed cultivation.

In accordance to the Minister, seaweed farming is an emerging sector with opportunity to completely transform the life of coastal communities and will offer massive work and added cash flow.

Welcoming the initiative, A Gopalakrishnan, Director, Central Maritime Fisheries Exploration Institute, explained the proposed park could be a multi-function hub for a variety of economic routines associated to seaweed farming, business enterprise growth and bio-prospecting. Presently, seaweeds are currently being cultivated by hundreds of fishermen alongside the Palk Bay coast in Tamil Nadu. The proposal will enable the fisherfolk and coastal business owners in the State, he explained.

The commercially exploited seaweed species in India predominantly incorporate Kappaphycus alvarezii, Gracilaria edulis, Gelidiella acerosa, Sargassum spp. and Turbinaria spp. Seaweeds are valued for business goods this sort of as Karrageenan and Agar in addition to currently being made use of for the output of polysaccharides, fertilizer, sludge and other large-worth goods this sort of as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals for use against different way of life ailments.

K Riji John, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, explained that the growth of seaweed park would go a long way in addressing the nutritionally stability of a massive phase of undernourished and underprivileged marginal communities.

“India currently being a tropical belt, we have a quantity of economically significant seaweed species which can be commercially exploited. The operation of this park desires to be extended to Lakshadweep where by there is large opportunity for seaweed farming which is however continue being so underneath explored,” he explained.

Seaweeds are storehouse of crucial amino acids, natural anti-oxidants, minerals and other micro-nutrition. However, awareness of the benefits on the intake of the seaweeds are not thoroughly penetrated to our community, he added.